DanielB

6 more hoppers secured on eBay. Fingers crossed the decals will arrive soon so I can get started on repainting them all.

I wouldn't worry too much, Games Workshop's regular clientele tend to be... Interesting characters. You very likely seemed quite a refreshing change to what the staff are used to.

Nice work. Those Citadel washes are awesome aren't they?

From the Facebook page of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources: "Choo Choo! The mountain train chugs along in Graham County, circa 1943. Constructed over steep grades through the Nantahala Mountains between Topton and Robbinsville in 1925, this 12.6-mile line was one of the nation's last railways to use steam locomotives before it shut down in 1970. Do you remember hearing the locomotive steam by? Image: Mountain railroad between Robbinsville and Tofton in Graham County, NC, October 1943, taken by Patrick. From the Department of Conservation and Development, Travel Information Division Photograph Collection, State Archives of North Carolina."

I doubt there are enough HO scale GLa hoppers in the entire of the UK that would be enough for me to own the entire fleet.

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments here. My O scale layout is American, so I need even less stock to fill the space. Honestly, I've spent less than a grand on locomotives for the layout over the past several years and I have six locomotives to run my 13'x2' exhibition layout (2 of which are currently DCC sound fitted, at that), and it's more than enough. I could have gotten away with just two, but good deals just kept coming along. I've certainly spent less on my O scale stuff (6 locomotives and about 25 freight cars/wagons) than I ever have on my HO/OO/N scales - and that's separately, not clumped together. I think the idea of "well I've got the space on the shelf so I might as well get more" tends to get the better of us all.

This morning I placed an order with Rails of Sheffield for one each of Bowser's three Interstate Railroad lettered GLa hoppers, as well as a big order of Interstate decals from K4_Pacific on eBay. When they turn up I will be able to start on my freight car fleet.

As a frequent exhibitor... Oh lord the whiffs!

My next project is going to have to be finding some suitable staircases for the front of the huts, stringer style. I know Micro Mark make them, but finding them is going to be tough as I'm not paying daft money to import them from the US. Anyone else know of any other manufacturers that might prove easier to find in the UK? I'd rather not have to fall back on plastruct if I can help it as the design isn't quite right.

Thanks John. My comfort zone has always been cardstock kits and using photo papers like Scalescenes or Clevermodels make, so for this project I'm deliberately focusing on scratchbuilding, plastic kits and craftsmen kits to really force myself to learn new skills. I have to say, I am greatly enjoying the process (and progress) so far.

Quick update from this morning's progress, and both shacks have now had their tar paper applied. Once the glue dries completely I'll get cracking on painting the walls, and then will come overall weathering. I've noticed that the sugar paper looks lot redder in the sunlight than it does to the naked eye.

PSR will fade into the night eventually. As soon as profits start being hit when corners are cut too far, then PSR will become a thing of the past. Conrail Mk.2 is on the horizon, one way or another.

That's not to say it didn't happen. The Southern fobbed off a bunch of their aging F7's to handle mine runs on the newly (1960) acquired Interstate Railroad in about 1965. Here's a couple of shots from Ron Flanary showing them MU'ed up - though the first photo shows an F7 that had failed during a run so was destined for the RIP track at Andover yard. That said, it was working when it set off! https://www.railpictures.net/photo/389723/#remarks https://www.railpictures.net/photo/272716/

If it means anything, I'm using match sticks on the IRR.

I'd show you my attempt, but...

Jordan, this might help a bit more than my brief description: https://youtu.be/GbaPUiHkxzg

I thought I'd contribute to the thread with a shot that has relevance to my latest layout project. Chesapeake & Ohio RSD5 #5584 on loan to the Interstate Railroad, seen at Tacoma Virginia during dieselisation trials in 1953. Photograph by H.L.Stuart Jr. https://hobbystop.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/582278.jpg?1610128970451

No apologies necessary, it gave me a good chuckle.

Black sugar paper sprayed with grey primer, cut into strips and then sanded in places to fade it and rough the edges. Tears were then added by scratching the paper with the edge of a Stanley knife

They also make great telegraph pole freight car loads when stained dark brown.

Quick update for this afternoon - didn't manage to get much done last night except for priming the scratchbuilt sheds and doing the tar paper roof on the smaller of the two.

And the full layout - please forgive the wonky building on the left, I was still working on the layout when I took the picture...

There's also this one of my old HO scale layout, now long gone.

Works like a charm too - especially for O scale...

How did you do the concrete, it looks great?